Through my work with the Writers Guild of Alberta, I became involved with the Calgary Freedom to Read Week Committee. I can’t find it online now but my memory is that this committee of writers, librarians, publishers and social activists was formed after some MLA held up some book in the Alberta Legislature to denounce it as offensive.
The Committee did a variety of things throughout the year but the highlight was during Freedom to Read Week where they would present a copy of a controversial book, chosen by the committee each year, to Calgary City Council (nice change from politicians advocating for book banning for sure!)
I got to make the actual presentation a couple years in a row – these are pictures of me with Calgary’s Mayor at the time, Dave “Bronco” Bronconnier and I think the pictures are from 2004 or possibly 2003.
(Fun personal trivia – I got to be in Council chambers for my presentation the same day Calgary Public Library made their budget presentation and some of the details of what they talked about have stayed with me to this day – probably a bit of a clue why I went on to become a librarian!)
Anyhow, being on the Calgary #FTRW committee was a great experience in many ways – from learning to organize events (I should also post a pic of Shea and I with Right Honourable Joe Clark at a FTRW Fundraiser I organized) to some aspects of political advocacy (although I can’t help but note how pointedly I chose *not* to wear a suit or tie for this presentation!) to just getting such a solid understanding of the importance of freedom of expression and surrounding issues.
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